Each Emirate has its own distinct culture and feel. Your experience in The UAE will be as varied as the many cultures that make up this cosmopolitan country. With only 17% of the total population being Emirati and the remainder being made up of expatriates you are sure to see people from every walk of life. From the hustle and bustle of Abu Dhabi city to the traditional lifestyle of Ajman you are sure to find something of interest in this unique pearl of the desert. This unique country has moved from an economy based on pearl diving and has become a major player on the world financial scene in only forty two years while still maintaining its cultural roots. There truly is something for everybody in The UAE. For teachers, there are countless opportunities to teach abroad in the UAE.

Target of one of the world's biggest educational reforms, the UAE is currently seeking thousands of certified teachers to satisfy the demand for knowledge that this young country has. If you are a certified teacher interested in teaching abroad in the Middle East, this country is one of the best places that you can head to. Those who move to the UAE often limit their search to teaching jobs in Dubai, but the UAE emirate of Abu Dhabi (just an hour from Dubai) offers better teaching positions with its government program run by the Abu Dhabi Education Council.

We understand everyone wanting to obtain a teaching jobs in Abu Dhabi, UAE, has many questions. Our recruiting team gets a lot of questions from teachers so to make things easier for you we've compiled some of the most commonly asked questions and answers. Despite trying to be as thorough as possible, we assume you will have further questions so feel free to contact our recruiting team to learn more about teaching in Abu Dhabi!

One of the most common questions we are asked here at in the Footprints Middle East department is “How do I pass the interview?”

If the word interview makes you sweat a little bit, you are not alone. This can be a scary prospect for a lot of people. We will try to make it as easy as possible for you and hopefully you can gain some insight as well as some tips and tricks from this section.

Moving is always a hassle and a big life event. Moving to another country even more so. When you take one of the teaching jobs in Abu Dhabi, you will be compensated generously for your hard work and will be supported in reducing the hassle of moving by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. Not only are your flights provided in full (for yourself, plus your spouse and up to 3 dependents if applicable) but upon arrival you will receive a settlement allowance to put towards furniture and appliances for your new home.

Principals and Vice-Principals in Abu Dhabi are well compensated for their hard work. As moving to another country is big enough of a hassle, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) provides principals and vice-principals with services and compensation to make the transition as seamless as possible. This includes finding suitable accommodation and a settlement allowance to get comfortable in your new environment.

If you are thinking of living and working in the UAE please take our advice and register with your Embassy.

Many of our teachers ask us whether or not we recommend registering with your embassy in the UAE and the answer is always yes. We not only recommend registering with your embassy if you are living in the UAE but for any of our positions overseas. The reasons are plentiful as your embassy can;

So you want to teach in Abu Dhabi? Excellent choice! Before you apply to teaching jobs in UAE, let us review the basic requirements necessary to qualify. First off, most of the positions we recruit for in Abu Dhabi require a degree in education and a valid teaching license.

The following is for general information purposes only, and before entering into any teaching contract please consult an expert!

You have just successfully interviewed with the Abu Dhabi Education Council hiring committee or one of our other clients in The UAE and have received your letter of offer, signed it and returned it back to Footprints Recruiting!

Teachers can experience a wonderful work-life balance with spectacular beaches of white sand and blue water, improved even more by the guaranteed year-round sunshine. To escape the heat, teachers visit shopping malls, especially Manar Mall, which offer a blend of shopping, entertainment, dining and recreational options. If you feel like exploring beyond your immediate locality, it’s a good idea to join the UAE car culture and buy your own (air-conditioned!) car to get around.

Abu Dhabi is well connected with flights to cities all over the world, and with plenty of vacation time teachers in Abu Dhabi have the opportunity to travel around the region and explore. Emirates Air and Etihad connect Abu Dhabi with virtually every major city in the world.

Abu Dhabi features a great variety of leisure activities, both indoor and outdoor. If you're teaching in Abu Dhabi, there's no reason to fear boredom in your free time! As a wealthy country where many citizens have disposable income and free time, there is a very wide array of leisure options.

Working a teaching job in Abu Dhabi does not mean being confined to one city - the Emirate and the UAE as a whole has many interesting cities and towns to visit and enjoy. Outside Abu Dhabi city are the western region of Al Gharbia and the eastern region of Al Ain. Al Gharbia is a vast desert with many traditional settlements. It's the place to experience traditional bedouin culture, traditional activities like horseback riding and falconry and see oases that have been settled since ancient times.

We understand everyone wanting to obtain a teaching job in Abu Dhabi, UAE, has many questions. We know moving abroad for a teaching job in Abu Dhabi is stressful, but coming prepared with realistic expectations makes the transition much easier. Read below for answers to commonly asked questions about life in Abu Dhabi and get in touch with us if you have further questions.

Q: Where is Abu Dhabi?

A: Abu Dhabi is located in the Persian Gulf region. It borders Saudi Arabia and Oman.

One of the major benefits of living and teaching in Abu Dhabi is that with its significant expat population an extraordinary choice of cuisine is available. Today’s UAE diet is one of many international delights, featuring dishes from all over the world including traditional Indian, Lebanese, Chinese and Indonesian fare. You’ll even manage to find fried chicken if you’re really craving some Southern comfort food!

Let’s start with the basics here. The currency used in the UAE is called the Dirham, with the abbreviation being AED, and is broken into subunits referred to as fils. In other words, one Dirham or AED is equal to 100 fils. Dirham notes come in denominations of 1000,500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 5 and approximately $1 U.S. is equal to about 3.67 Dirham. Please refer to www.xe.com for current exchange rates.

If you are anything like me you have now realized that you must pack after you’ve received your visa and flight information from your employer! If you are a normal human being however you will have already likely started packing. In this section I will do what I can to give you some advice on what to pack for your new life in the UAE.

There are several things to consider when moving to Abu Dhabi; two of the most significant considerations being, how will you get around and how safe is it? Though there is public transportation in the city of Abu Dhabi, it is quite rudimentary, and tends to not be all that reliable. The roads and highways in Abu Dhabi are generally well kept. The highway infrastructure is modern and fairly easy to navigate. If you decide to drive in Abu Dhabi, you will need to obtain a UAE driver’s licence.

Oh yeah, hot. The UAE is a desert climate; as such you can expect plenty of sun and heat. It is located north of the equator so you will be on the same seasonal schedule as you are in North America or Europe, however there will be a great deal more heat,

There are loads of things you can do in the UAE beyond teaching. This page is meant to provide information for expat teachers who would like to join a sports club, hockey team, ultimate frisbee league or even a social club that is expat or Emirati in nature.

Joining and becoming part of the local community is an important step in enhancing your life abroad and beating culture shock and homesickness.

This section of the UAE Information pages is dedicated to providing information for foreigners who need emergency contact information. Whether you're looking for a dentist, alcoholics anonymous or the fire department or police, this section should provide the information you are looking for.

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Teachers can experience a wonderful work-life balance with spectacular beaches of white sand and blue water, improved even more by the guaranteed year-round sunshine. To escape the heat, teachers visit shopping malls, especially Manar Mall, which offer a blend of shopping, entertainment, dining and recreational options. If you feel like exploring beyond your immediate locality, it’s a good idea to join the UAE car culture and buy your own (air-conditioned!) car to get around.

Teaching in Ras Al Khaimah allows you to live with a slower pace, a strong community feel and an adventurous, outdoorsy lifestyle. Far from being a dusty hinterland, RAK boasts a variety of landscapes which offer unique combination of the four different landscapes found in the UAE: fertile plains, striking mountains, coastal beaches and mangroves, and the desert. RAK is a leisurely city, with a multitude of activities on offer such as diving, hiking in the surrounding mountains, bird watching, wadi bashing, desert safaris, playing golf or quad biking.

Working a teaching job in Abu Dhabi does not mean being confined to one city - the Emirate and the UAE as a whole has many interesting cities and towns to visit and enjoy. Outside Abu Dhabi city are the western region of Al Gharbia and the eastern region of Al Ain.

Traveling to the Middle East for sight-seeing is not in most people’s plans. While politics may cause concern for most, the reality is the United Arab Emirates is a bastion of peace and stability. Though the UAE just celebrated its 42nd birthday, visitors will be delighted to see a paradox of old and new culture in and around the capital city of Abu Dhabi. While one could spend easily enjoying its luxury, there is plenty to see and do in the United Arab Emirates on a limited budget or for free.

The culture of the UAE is defined by its diverse and multicultural society. It's an Islamic country, and Islam is the source of much of dominant culture. The UAE is culturally liberal, however expatriates moving to the UAE for a teaching job in Abu Dhabi or Dubai are advised to take into account local cultural sensitivities and behave themselves accordingly.

One of the major benefits of living and teaching in Abu Dhabi is that with its significant expat population an extraordinary choice of cuisine is available. Today’s UAE diet is one of many international delights, featuring dishes from all over the world including traditional Indian, Lebanese, Chinese and Indonesian fare. You’ll even manage to find fried chicken if you’re really craving some Southern comfort food!

Like much of the Gulf region, Arabic is the mother tongue of the Emirati people and serves as the official language of the UAE and Abu Dhabi. The Emirates is situated between Oman and Saudi Arabia, at the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula, and, as such, Arabic is spoken throughout the region, with Abu Dhabi being no exception.

One thing that can certainly be said about the UAE is that the country knows how to take a break. With an impressive 10 days of public holidays per year along with generous vacation days with most employers you will absolutely have a great deal of time to explore this wonderful country.

Let’s take a quick look at the public holidays in the UAE. Remember, these dates change every year as they are based not on the Gregorian calendar, but on the Islamic calendar which is tied to the cycle of the moon.